Find Your Axis Deer Guide in Hawaii

Axis deer can be hunted year-round, because they don’t follow a fixed breeding season. Most bucks finish growing their antlers in late March or early April and rub off the velvet in May, and the main rut runs about June and July. Many guides recommend April through August for hard-antlered bucks. If you want a buck in velvet, plan your hunt before May.

Yes. Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi) has been through years of drought, and the state still lists ongoing drought in its axis deer emergency proclamations. Dry years push deer toward water and farmland and can change where the herds are and what condition they’re in, while wet years spread them out. Conditions change from year to year, so ask your guide what the herds are doing right now before you book.

Maui is easy to combine with a family vacation and has guides on private ranches a short drive from the resorts. Molokaʻi is known for big herds and big bucks on large ranches. Lānaʻi has one of the densest free-range axis herds anywhere, with state public hunts by drawing. The Big Island has only a small population that the state is working to remove.

On private land on Maui and Molokaʻi, the state allows axis deer to be hunted daily, year-round, with no bag limits, as long as you have a Hawaii hunting license and the landowner’s permission. Your guide handles the landowner permission. Public hunts on Lānaʻi have set seasons and are drawn by lottery.

Every hunter needs a Hawaii hunting license on both public and private land. For non-residents, the license is $95 plus a $10 Wildlife Conservation Stamp. Buy them online at outdoor.hawaii.gov before your trip, and bring a printed copy.

Yes, if you were born after December 31, 1971. If you already have a hunter education card from another state, you can request a free Non-Resident Letter of Exemption instead of retaking the course. Do this a few weeks before your trip, because you need it before you can buy your license.

Yes, but Hawaii has strict rules. Under current state law, any firearm you bring in must be registered and inspected at the county police department within five days of arriving. Call the police department on your island before you fly, and follow your airline’s rules for checked firearms. Many guides can provide a rifle, so ask. It’s often the easiest option.

Yes. Many guides offer archery hunts from blinds, tree stands or spot-and-stalk, and Lānaʻi has public archery seasons. Axis deer are very alert, so expect close-range shots to be hard-won. Some public archery hunts also require bowhunter education.

Axis venison is some of the best eating there is: mild, lean and never gamey. Many guides can arrange processing, vacuum packing and freezing for a fee. Before you fly home, all checked bags going to the mainland go through a USDA agriculture inspection in front of the airline counter, so don’t tape your cooler shut until it’s been checked. Ask your guide and your airline how to pack frozen meat.

Hawaii hunts are hot and often rocky. Bring light, breathable clothes in earth tones, broken-in boots, a hat, sunscreen, plenty of water, binoculars and a rangefinder. Hunts usually start before sunrise and finish by midday, so you’ll still have the afternoon for the beach.

Often, yes. Many guides welcome non-hunting observers and young hunters, sometimes for a small fee. Ask the guide when you email them.

No. We’re a free directory. You contact and book with each guide directly, and prices, availability, deposits and policies are between you and your guide.

Hawaii requires anyone guiding hunters for pay to hold a hunting guide license from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). We list each guide’s DLNR guide license number. Licenses renew every year, so ask your guide to confirm theirs is current before you book.

Listing is free. Fill out the form on our Contact page and choose “I’m a guide and want to be listed.”